Councillors given overview of this year’s examination performance in Hertfordshire

COUNTY Councillors have been given an overview of this year’s examination performance in Hertfordshire.

On Tuesday (October 17) provisional results for the exams taken by primary and secondary children in Hertfordshire last summer were presented to a meeting of the county council.

They show that 74.6 per cent of pupils achieved grade four or above in both maths and English at GCSE.

And the average entry per A level was reported to be 35.4 – equivalent to a grade B.

However it was stressed to councillors that the results were ‘provisional’ – with data ‘unvalidated, not yet published and subject to minor amendments.

According to the report, results are not as high as in 2020 and 2021, when formal examinations were cancelled as a result of the pandemic.

And it was reported to councillors that it had been Ofqual’s intention to adjust grade boundaries in stages – ‘with 2023 grades reflecting a return to the pre-pandemic situation’.

According to the report, the provisional GCSE and A level results – which are reported by schools – are broadly in line with 2019, but lower than 2022 ‘as per Ofqual’s intentions’.

At 74.6 per cent, the proportion of pupils achieving grade four or higher in English and maths this year (2023), is one per cent lower than in 2022 (75.6 per cent) – but two per cent higher than in 2019 (72.6 per cent).

At 35.4, the average point score for A level this year is 4.5 points lower than in 2022 (39.9) – but 0.4 points higher than in 2019 (35.0).

The report also acknowledges that the Department for Education (DfE) was advising that direct comparisons to 2019 are not appropriate – due to the impact of covid.

At the meeting the results were highlighted by leader of the county council Conservative Cllr Richard Roberts.

“Hertfordshire education standards appear to be recovering well after the pandemic,” he said.

“Congratulations to all those who completed GCSEs and A levels this year – and to our 14 care leavers off to university. Well done.

“As important the early years results are also improving – and they have been a focus of concern for a while now .”

The report also highlighted the provisional results of tests taken at primary schools.

It suggested 79.4 per cent of year one children passed the phonics screening check – compared to 75.9 per cent in 2022.

Provisional results show 56.5 per cent of children reached the required standards in reading, writing and maths in Key Stage One – compared to 53.8 per cent in 2022.

And at the end of Key Stage Two the provisional results suggest 60.8 per cent of children reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths – compared to 60.2 in 2022.

In the early years, the ‘good level of development indicator’ was 67.7 per cent – compared to 64.7 per cent in 2022.

Executive member for education, libraries and lifelong learning Cllr Caroline Clapper said he’s delighted with the positive results.

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the schools and their wonderful teaching staff who have put so much work into this outcome.

“The biggest congratulations though must go to our Hertfordshire children who should be immensely proud of themselves.”